Phoenix Tag

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer PHOENIX – “Usually a lot of times JGR might be the favorite going into a championship race. I think we’re definitely the underdogs,” said Joe Gibbs Racing Team Executive Wally Brown said on Monday. “We have to beat the guy, Kyle Larson, that has won so many races, been so dominant this year. Then you have Chase (Elliott), the reigning champion at this track. We’re definitely the underdog.” Don’t consider Martin Truex, Jr. as a dark horse nor an underdog for Sunday’s championship deciding race at PhoenixRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer It was a tale of two stories for Chip Ganassi Racing drivers Kyle Larson and Kurt Busch in Sunday’s FanShield 500 at Phoenix Raceway. However, their outcomes were encouraging as the duo finished fourth and sixth respectively. Larson had one of the strongest Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LEs throughout the race-extended 316 lap event (leading two laps), but the bid of getting his primary sponsor McDonald’s first points-paying NASCAR Cup Series win since July 1994 would have to wait yet another day. This was because Larson’s attemptRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service AVONDALE, Ariz. – Joey Logano expected a bump from Kevin Harvick in the two-lap overtime Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, but the bump never came. Instead, Harvick pulled up beside Logano in the center of Turns 1 and 2 on the final lap of the FanShield 500, but Logano sped away with a hard charge off Turn 2 and cruised to the finish line with a margin of .276 seconds. With the victory—his second at Phoenix and the 25th of his career—Logano is the first multipleRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer NASCAR Cup Series points leader Ryan Blaney didn’t get to the conclusion of Stage 1 after being taken out in a three-car crash during Sunday’s FanShield 500 at Phoenix Raceway. Fresh off signing a multi-year contract extension with Team Penske, Blaney was poised to have some good luck on his side, which he hasn’t had despite having a 12-point lead over his teammate Joey Logano. After Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. spun and make wall contact to bring out the first caution, the field reshuffled and took theRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer AVONDALE, Arizona — Going into Sunday’s Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway, it was possible that one driver would make the Championship 4 via points. The man who claimed the final spot was runner-up finisher Kyle Busch. In a battle that boiled down between his teammate Denny Hamlin and rival Joey Logano, one spot would’ve made the difference of having three Joe Gibbs Racing drivers battling for the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway or not. After wall contact from John Hunter Nemechek on Lap 303, the fieldRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer AVONDALE, Arizona — In a year that Roger Penske has dominated the world of motorsports, there won’t be a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship this season for “The Captain.” That’s because Joey Logano finished ninth in Sunday’s Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway. Not good enough of making the Championship 4 despite running extraordinarily well during the first half of the race, highlighted with a Stage 2 win. Then everything fell apart for the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang as his pace was lost andRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer AVONDALE, Arizona — Christopher Bell owned the first two stages which put his stage wins total up to 22, but a speeding penalty following a spin dashed his shot at a ninth NASCAR Xfinity Series victory of 2019 in Saturday’s Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 200 at ISM Raceway. Bell finished 16th, but since he had already locked himself into the Championship 4 last Saturday at Texas, his eyes are on capturing the series title. One of the ways his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing squadRead More